


Walking mouth and the case of the littles

by Irrelevantrelevancy



Series: King Of Manhattan [2]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Boys In Love, Cause I Said So, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, No Period Typical Homophobia, Spot is good with kids and you can pry that from my cold dead hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:35:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25604419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irrelevantrelevancy/pseuds/Irrelevantrelevancy
Summary: He couldn’t help the gasp that slipped past his lips. Hearing those words made his body run warm and his heart skip a beat or maybe two, was he even breathing?“I’ve got the walkin mouth speechless”Jack said with a smile, a genuine smile.
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly, Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins
Series: King Of Manhattan [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1855795
Comments: 5
Kudos: 72





	Walking mouth and the case of the littles

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoy this!

“This is killin me Davey!”Jack exclaimed, pacing the empty lodging house. “Racetrack been gone all night and he still ain’t back yet, that ain’t like him”

“He’s spent the night out before, what’s the difference?”He asked. Jack’s jaw almost fell from his face as he gaped at the boy. 

“The  _ difference _ ”He spat, “Is that he’s supposed to tell me where he’s going!  _ Instead _ , he ran like someone lit a fire under his ass!”   
Davey’s eyes fluttered towards the ceiling and he took a deep breath. “Lower your voice when you’re talking to me, Jack” He couldn’t see him but he could feel the gears shifting in Jack’s head.

“And what if I don’t?”Jack pressed, “Huh? What’re ya gonna do about it?”

He said nothing and counted back from ten in his head. Jack just wanted a fight, he didn’t have to give in. 

“Exactly, ain’t gonna do shit”

But boy was he good at pushing his buttons. He abandoned his countdown at five and instead pulled Jack in by the collar of his shirt. The boy stumbled forward and Davey would have felt bad if he wasn’t fuming.

“Shut. Up.”he said through clenched teeth. Jack squirmed in his grasp but he just held him tighter.

“The walkin mouth is tellin  _ me _ to shut up?”Jack smirked, “That’s rich”

Any ounce of control Davey had snapped. His hand flew from the collar of Jack’s shirt to his jaw and he  _ gripped _ it. His blunt nails dug into flesh and he pulled his chin up so the two were eye to eye. His body felt like it was on fire and his hands were trembling a bit but he was  _ furious _ .

“What the hell Davey--!”

“Shut up!”he snapped. He hummed in satisfaction when Jack reluctantly closed his mouth.

“It’s my turn to speak”He said, chest heaving. “When I say lower your voice with me, you lower your voice. I’m here to help you, I could be at home or at the courtyard at school but I am  _ here _ . I know you’re scared--hell i’m scared too, but you catching an attitude is not helping anyone. I know your first instinct is to lash out but I can  _ promise _ you if you pull that shit again that you just did I will walk out that door and never come back. It didn’t feel good Jackie, it really didn’t”

At this point he had loosened his grip on the boys jaw to the point where he was just holding it. And Jack leaned into the touch, matter of fact his whole body leaned against Davey’s and went slack. Davey clicked his teeth and wrapped his arms around Jack’s frame, pulling him as close as their bodies would allow.

“Is this what you needed?”He asked. Jack pulled his face up into the crook of his neck and nodded. They were still for a few moments before Jack let out a quiet sound and his body began to tremble. Davey felt hot tears hit his neck and he frowned.

“Oh Jackie”He said in that soft tone, the one only Jack got to hear, the one he had taken for granted. In response Jack whimpered and balled up his fists in the material of Davey’s shirt.

“ ‘m so scared Davey”Jack whispered, Davey felt him hiccup, “ ‘m so fuckin scared, I just want him to come home”

“I know Jackie, I know”he hushed, “He’s gonna come back”

“I fucked up”Jack said after a few beats. He pulled away quickly and rubbed at his eyes.

“How?”He asked.

“I can’t keep doin this to you”Jack said, “Like you said I-I lash out and I treat you in a way that you shouldn’t be”

“How should I be treated then?”He said, raising a brow. “Humor me Kelly”

“Like you’s the king of New York”Jack said, “You should get flowers and chocolates an-and I should be nicer to you-”

“It sounds like you want me to be your beau”He teased. Jack’s face flushed scarlet and for once he looked bashful.

“I thought you already was”Jack said quietly. Now it was Davey’s turn to blush.

“Oh”He said eloquently.

“I like you Davey”Jack said. “You’s smart, got a good head on your shoulders. You don’t put up with my shit. I like that when I push you push back twice as hard, ya know? You put me in my place”

“Huh”He said, he wanted to say so much more but it was like he couldn’t move his mouth.

“Please say more than that”Jack begged.

“So you like me because I make you treat me with respect?”He said slowly.

“I mean yes but that’s not it!”Jack insisted. “Like you said, you’s here now. Not at the schoolyard,not at home with ya family. You coulda just soaked me earlier but you...you talked to me, you made me understand why i’m wrong. Not many people can do that”

“Okay”Davey said.

“Okay?”He echoed.

“Yeah, okay”He said. He could feel the tips of his ears burning but he wasn’t giving in that easily.

“Can I kiss you?”Jack said, although he looked very confused.

“What’s with the face?”He asked instead.

“I’m um...I’m kinda used to uh…”Jack said, gesturing vaguely.

“You’re used to people swooning for you?”He asked. Jack nodded helplessly.

“It takes a lot to make me swoon Kelly, you’re gonna have to work for it”He said with a wink.

“Y-yeah of course Davey”Jack said. “But um...are we on the same page here?”

Davey decided to take pity on him and grabbed his hand, “C’mere”

Jack shuffled a few steps forward and Davey leaned in. Every fiber in his body was telling him to stop, that he’d never done this before and to think. But to hear Jack gasp and feel his legs go weak was a power rush. He planted his hands firmly on Jack’s waist and tried to match what he was doing. And every teacher that Davey’s had will tell you that he’s a fast learner. Once they had a steady rhythm he pulled Jack’s hips closer and relished in the tiny squeak. Before things could go any further he pulled away and smirked as Jack's lips tried to follow his.

“Yer evil Davey”Jack panted, resting his head on Davey’s chest.

“I like you too you idiot”He said, hoping he didn’t look as rough as his voice sounded. “But you’re not off the hook”

“ ‘m not?”Jack whined. “Why not?”

“You gotta prove you’re gonna treat me with respect”He said, “None of that shit you pulled earlier”

“And how am I gonna do that?”Jack asked.

“Well we skipped a few steps but how about we start with a date?”He said.

“Or I can take you up to my penthouse and show you how sorry I am?”Jack said wiggling his brows.

“Or you can keep your pants on and rejoice in the fact that you’ve got an able left hand”He scoffed.

“A dirty joke from Davey?”Jack said, holding a hand to his chest “Well color me surprised”

“Shut up”He said, rolling his eyes and pushing Jack’s shoulders. “Should’ve left after your mouth started going”

“You’s hot when yer angry”Jack said already moving closer.

“Incorrigible,”He said, shaking his head, but he didn’t push him away this time.

“I got a lot of lost time to make up for”Jack said and brought one of Davey’s hands up to kiss. “Now if you’ll have me we can still go up to my penthouse-”

“Jack-!”

“To  _ talk _ ”Jack said with a smirk, “That’s what people do ain’t it? I won’t touch you Davey, promise. I’m gonna romance you the Jack Kelly way sweetheart, you’ll never know what hit you”

“ _ And _ he’s back”He said under his breath. “Don’t sweetheart me Kelly, we both know it doesn’t suit me” He wanted to be serious but he couldn’t help but smile at the look of determination on Jack’s face.

“Alright then”Jack said, “I’ll find something that suits then”

“Have fun with that”

“I’m gonna do it!”

“I don’t doubt you Jackie”He chuckled, “Just think of something original, yeah? Nothing that’s been used on your other beaus”

“Ain’t been no other beaus”Jack said, “Just one dame and you Davey, you’s the only one who got close enough, you’s the real deal”

He couldn’t help the gasp that slipped past his lips. Hearing those words made his body run warm and his heart skip a beat or maybe two, was he even breathing?

“I’ve got the walkin mouth speechless”Jack said with a smile, a genuine smile. Davey suddenly had the urge to kiss those smiling lips, but he controlled himself.

“But you...I’ve seen all those people falling at your feet”He said, “you’ve got dames busting out of their corsets for a chance with you”

“Doesn mean I want them Davey”Jack said shaking his head, “I just wanted you”

“You’re a romantic…”he said in awe.

“Took you long enough to find out”Jack said rolling his eyes, “I’m sweet on you Davey, I dunno how many other ways I can say this”

“No no, it’s not you”He said quickly, “it’s just...this is different...I-no one has ever been um… ‘sweet’ on me”

“Well that’s a damn shame because you are beautiful, so damn beautiful”Jack said. Davey wasn’t expecting it but hearing that shocked him to his core. His hands clenched at his side and his body went ridgid.

“Aha that’s the one”Jack said, Davey could hear him smirking. “You like being called beautiful.”

“Shut up”He said pathetically, he felt embarrassed. It was silly to get worked up over something so simple but here he was on the verge of tears because Jack Kelly called him beautiful.

“Hey”Jack said, placing a hand on his cheek. “You don’t gotta be so shy Davey, I’ll call you beautiful ‘til the day I die.”

“But i’m so plain”The words slipped out before he could think about them.

“Ain’t nothin wrong with bein plain”Jack said, “Flowers and birds and buildings and the sky is plain but they’s still beautiful. You got such pretty eyes and yer nose scrunches up when yer thinkin and you bite yer lip when you’s nervous and you look so beautiful when yer smilin-”

“Jack stop it before I cry and it gets awkward for both of us”He choked out.

“Ain’t nothin wrong with cryin”Jack said, “Just means I need to let you know you’s beautiful more often, maybe one day you’ll hear it and you’ll smile instead”

“For someone who’s not good with words you sure know what to say”He said with a sniffle.

“I only know what to say when there’s something worth sayin”Jack said with a shrug. “You make my brain work”

“Your brain works all on its own”He said rolling his eyes. He brought his hand up to cover Jacks and pulled him close until they were nose to nose.

“I think I wanna stay the night”He whispered, “I already brought Les home, my parents’ll just assume i’m here” 

“I think I want you to stay too”Jack whispered back, “I’ll be a perfect gentleman Davey, I’ll treat you how you deserve”

“I just wanted to test you”He chuckled. “You treat me fine already”

“But I don’t treat you fine”Jack said, “you told me that, don’t take it back.”

“I won’t then”He said, “I also won’t object to seeing Mr. Jack Kelly act like a gentleman”

“I’ll start right now”Jack said with a cheeky grin. He pulled away and cleared his throat. “Mr. Jacobs, would you do me the absolute honor of letting me hold your hand?”

“Impressive”He said taking his hand, “You used correct grammar and everything”

“I learned that from bein around Medda”Jack said bumping his hip. “I can talk fancy too if that’s what you like”

“I don’t”He said. He took the initiative to continue when Jack raised a brow. “I’m around people who talk fancy all day, I like the way you speak, it’s charming”

“Charming?”Jack said, wiggling his brows, “For sure?”   


“For sure”he mimicked and laughed at the surprise on Jacks face. “What, you think I just talk like this? I got an accent too Jackie, ‘m just better a hiding it”

“Dear lord if I wasn’ tryin to be a gentleman we would be up on that penthouse right now”Jack said with wide eyes. “I think that’s the most attractive thing that’s ever come out of your mouth”

“You like it when I talk like you?”He giggled.

“Hell yeah I do Davey”Jack said, “Where’ve you been keepin that?”

“In my back pocket”He said with a wink, “My ma doesn’t like it when we talk like this,neither does the school but it just feels…”

“Right?”Jack said.

“Yeah”He said, “Feels right, just like bein here with you”

“And i’m the romantic”Jack said rolling his eyes.

“It’s not me bein romantic”He said, “Just telling the truth, I like spending time with you”

“And I like spending time with you”Jack said, “Which means, you should be my beau”

“Nope, still gotta earn that”

“Damn it!”Jack said, “really thought I had ya this time”

“Of course you did”he said squeezing his hand, “We really gotta thank Race”   


“Thank Race?”Jack said, “For what? ‘m gonna kick his ass when he shows up”

“If I didn’t almost hit you for worrying we would have never gotten to this point!”He laughed, “Look at Race being a matchmaker even when he’s not physically here”

“Wait wait, almost  _ hit _ me?”Jack said, “you were gonna hit me!”

“I was thinking about it”He said, “I was only going to do it if you hit me first”

“I would never hit you!”

“You pushed me into a streetlight yesterday!”

“Well it ain’t my fault you tripped over the curb!”

“Unbelievable”He said, “We just argued and made up and now we’re arguing again, does it ever end?”

“I think that might just be a part of our charm, beautiful”Jack said with a goofy grin.

“Also I was meaning to tell you this earlier but someone had an attitude and wasn’t thinking straight”He said pointedly. “You said your boys have been all over, right?”

Jack nodded. 

“But have they been to Brooklyn yet?”

“No”Jack said quickly, “Ain’t no one allowed in Brooklyn except Race- _ oh _ ”

“Ya see?”He said, “Racetrack is fine. If he’s not here then the only logical place he would be is Brooklyn”

“I still don’t see how him and that Spot is friends”Jack muttered, “ain’t a good bone in that kids body”

“I bet people say that about you too”He said with a smile, “It’s all about perspective Jackie. Who knows? Spot may be sweet to him”

“Spot Conlon?”Jack blanched, “Sweet? I bet he kicks puppies for fun”

“Perspective Jackie, Perspective”

* * *

Race couldn’t help but giggle at the sight in front of him. The big bad King of Brooklyn holding a tiny boys hand as they walked back to the lodging. They apparently called him hadow, he was tiny and quiet and stuck close to Spot from the first moment he got there. He wondered why the Brooklyn lodging took in so many children, it didn’t seem practical. Back in Manhattan the youngest in the lodging was Les--who was now ten--and he only stayed there once a month. This little boy had to about five, it made his heart ache. Far too young to be selling papes, it looked like he still sucks his thumb.

As the day progressed it seems not only Shadow, but  _ all _ the littles were drawn to Spot. The minute they walked in it felt like he was wading in a sea of children. Instead of brushing them off Spot laughed and hugged each and every one of them individually, there had to be at least ten of them. Race watched in awe as he lowered himself to the floor and the kids did the same. He met Blanco’s eye and he walked over.

“They’re always like this” addressing a question Race hadn’t even asked.

“It’s like an orphanage in here”Race joked, Blanco simply shook his head with a smile.

“Boss has a soft spot for children”He said, “Any kid who needs a place to go usually ends up here. He breaks his back for them honestly, and most of them don’ even know it. He wan’s to keep it that way, ya know? Give ‘em the chance to be kids”

Race felt his heart swell and he couldn’t even doubt the love he felt right now. He waited until the children eventually dispersed and made his way over to Spot.

“Racer! ‘m sorry that took so long-”

“My god i’m so in love with you”he said. Without a word he had pulled Spot down the hallway and pinned him to a wall.

“Race-”

“Wanna marry you Spot”He said, planting a kiss on his neck. “Don know how we’s gonna do it but ‘m gonna marry you. Gonna get us a nice house where no one can bother us and we can adopt all the littles you want-”

“Racer!-”

“We’s gonna have a nice yard--tilt yer head--gonna give you life you want even if i ain’t a dame-”

“Tony!”Spot gasped, pushing at his shoulders. “I ain’t mad about what just happened, but where the  _ hell _ did that come from?”

Race felt his cheeks heaten up and took a deep breath trying to slow his breathing. “You’s just so good with the littles it made me feel funny”

“Funny enough to almost nail me against the wall?”Spot said incredously.

“Shit”He winced, “I didn’ mean to do that it just...I dunno, I guess it made me realize how much I love you”

“You’s a funny one for sure Racer”Spot said, “remind me not to play patty cake with ‘em or nothin before you do somethin indecent”

“I said I was sorry”He whined, “I ain’t gonna kiss you in front of the kids or nothin”

“You’s strong too”Spot commented, “Didn know you had it in you”

“What?”he asked, tilting his head.

“You dragged me down the hall and pinned me to the wall”Spot said, “Angel, my feet wasn touchin the ground”

“Oh shit!”He cursed. “ ‘m sorry, I just-”

“I ain’t never said I didn’ like it”Spot smirked. “Just be careful and don do it too often. I’m still gone for you but my kids come first, they get jealous when I ain’t payin attention to them”

“Wouldn’ have it any other way”He said nodding dopily, “but I should be gettin back soon, Jack’s probably havin a fit an makin Davey lose his mind”

“I got respect for him”Spot said, “Can’t no one make Jack Kelly shut up like he can”

“Believe me, they both know it”He said, rolling his eyes. “I just wished they get their heads outta their asses and get together all ready”

“You,me and all of New York”Spot said, “I’ll walk back with you, lemme just let Hotshot know that i’m leavin”

Race nodded and waited by the front door. It took Spot a little longer than expected but he emerged with an apple and Shadow trailing behind him.

“Alright let’s go”Spot said. Shadow immediately grabbed onto his hand and they were out the door. A few minutes into the walk Race felt a tiny hand grab onto his, his heart melted as he looked down to see shadow smiling at him. Spot was smiling too.

“He’s the toughest one to crack but, he approves”He said. Race smiled and gently swung his hands urging Spot to do the same. Soon enough shadow was giggling between them as he was lifted and swung back and forth. Race wanted to paint this image in his head forever, it was a sight he could definitely see himself getting used to.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this please leave a comment, it goes a long way :)


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